The Comfort of a Friend
by GhostStone
Summary: When Harry finds himself lost to dark thoughts the first night of sixth year, Hermione finds him and provides the companionship and listening ear he needs.


Harry looked out the window of the astronomy tower. He had been up there for nearly two hours and still wasn't ready to return and face the crowded halls of Hogwarts. The school was his home, it had been since he had first come when he was eleven, but the castle seemed to lack the same warmth it had held the year before. The halls, bustling with students, felt empty. Harry closed his eyes, feeling the warm fall breeze that swept in through the window. It wasn't as if he didn't know why the castle felt so hollow now, because he did. Sirius, his godfather and the first adult who had tried to get close to him had died. He knew in his mind that it was not his fault his godfather was dead, but the overwhelming guilt remained, for if he hadn't gone to the Ministry, Sirius would still be alive.

A tear escaped his eye and ran down his cheek as Harry thought of Sirius. What he wouldn't give for one more moment with Sirius… Images flashed through his mind of the man decorating the house for Christmas and of Sirius the dog bounding after the Hogwarts express with a laughing expression. Sirius hadn't deserved to die. Despite years in Azkaban, he had been young at heart, and Harry missed him terribly. And Remus. Harry had wished so much over the summer to see Remus. The last of his father's friends and the closest adult to him after Sirius, Harry had longed to see the werewolf and hear him give a comforting word or even to just be near him. Early in the summer, Harry had felt as if Remus had blamed him for Sirius' death. Though he now knew it not to be true, the idea that Remus might hate him had plagued Harry's waking and sleeping. With a sigh, Harry looked out over the forest.

"Harry?" Hermione was there. Her voice was anxious and somewhat hesitant. Immediately Harry felt terrible. He had been a terrible friend over the last year, and he could tell by Hermione's tone that she was unsure about talking with him. Harry turned and saw Hermione standing in the doorway, the Marauders' Map in her hand. "Can I come in?" She asked softly. Harry nodded and she walked over to stand beside him at the window. Without speaking, Hermione simply stared out the window, waiting. Without turning his head, Harry spoke. "I miss him so much."

Hermione took his hand, squeezing it as she looked up at him. "Oh, Harry…" She whispered before hugging him tightly. Harry clenched his eyes shut and fought the trembling that took over his shoulders.

"Why did he have to die?" Harry said quietly, his voice hoarse. "I- we were going to be a family. He said I could live with him."

"He loved you."

"I know." Harry's voice had dropped to a whisper. "He told me. He told me, but I never told him. Now I never can."

"I'm sure that he knew, Harry." Harry couldn't help it; tears now ran freely down his cheeks. Hermione only held on tighter as his arms encircled her, clinging to her like a lifeline.

He shifted and opened his eyes to look down at Hermione. "I just wish I could have told him." Harry suddenly released her and turned to sit against the wall. After a moment, Hermione followed suit, leaning against his side and slipping her arm around his waist to be more comfortable.

"I just wish there was something I could do to help." Hermione said quietly, looking up at her best friend sadly.

Harry closed his eyes again to avoid her gaze. "I'm just so tired of it all. Everyone expects so much of me, but I can't do it. Now, the prophecy…" He swallowed. "If I mess up, Voldemort wins. He's as strong as Dumbledore and has almost fifty years more experience."

"You'll win." Hermione said softly, resting her head on his shoulder. "You don't give yourself enough credit, Harry. You have faced him five times now and you aren't even seventeen. Only Dumbledore has survived more confrontations with Voldemort. You even beat him in fourth year. Harry, he has been training for so much longer than you, but he likely can't improve much more. You, however, are only sixteen and haven't nearly reached your potential yet you can hold your own against him. Either way, no matter what, you can count on your friends to have your back. We will stand by you until you are ready."

"Will you help me learn?" Harry asked quietly. "I need to try harder this year. I can't let him beat me again."

"You never even have to ask, Harry, of course I will. You might regret asking though." She smirked.

Harry laughed quietly. "I don't know if I've willingly asked for more work before. Normally you have to force us to do the homework we are given."

Hermione smiled. "Does this mean I won't have to drag you to the libraries? Will you actually do your homework without prompting?"

"Well, I failed History of Magic and Divination was always a joke. No promises on the other classes though." Hermione laughed quietly and looked at her watch.

"You are such a bad influence, Harry. The first day back at school and you have me—a prefect, no less— out after curfew."

"And in the astronomy tower."

"Harry!" Hermione scolded, laughing, pleased as she saw some humor return to his eyes, displacing the melancholy that was there before. "Can you believe that five years ago we were just beginning Hogwarts? We didn't know each other and we knew nothing of magic."

"It seems like forever ago." Harry's eyes grew a bit mischievous. "You were a bit eager, I remember." She laughed.

"I know. And you jumped on the back of a mountain troll and stuck your wand up its nose."

"The nose thing was unintentional." Harry said, smiling. "It worked though."

"Do you think that if the troll hadn't been there, we would have still become friends?"

"I don't know." Harry said quietly. "I'd like to think so, but I really don't know. I know that I wouldn't be alive without you, so it is a good thing Quirrel did let it in."

"I still can't believe that Quirrel was possessed by Voldemort all year and no one noticed." She sighed. "I wouldn't change anything though." Hermione stood reluctantly. "We probably should leave. It is rather late."

"Doing your prefect duties?"

Hermione laughed. "I was going to come and find you earlier, but when I told Ron, he nearly panicked at the thought of giving the first years the whole 'Welcome to Hogwarts' speech."

"He would." Harry snorted. They walked in silence back to the portrait of the Fat Lady, and fortunately no one spotted them in the halls. As they entered the common room, they found it completely empty. Every last person had gone to bed. Hermione embraced him one final time in the common room.

"Good night, Harry."

He returned her hug. "Good night."

**A.N. I sat down to do homework and this is what happened. I hope you liked it. Please leave a review and tell me what you thought.**


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